Concrete is a popular choice for forming both the interior and exterior walls of a building structure. Concrete walls are generally formed by pouring uncured concrete into a cavity created by wall forms and allowing the concrete to cure. Typically, the concrete wall forms are set up in parallel to define the sides of the concrete wall and interconnected by a series of wall ties that fix the distance between opposing wall forms. One method of forming cast concrete walls is by using discrete wall forms made from insulating and light-weight material, such as for example, an expanded polystyrene (EPS). Such wall forms are generally referred to as insulating concrete (ICF) forms. Benefits of ICF forms include light weight, ease of use, and ability to leave the forms in place after concrete has set and hardened to provide insulation on both the inside and outside of the concrete wall.
Generally, to support the various wall forms as they are set in place and to resist movement caused by typical construction loads, including hydrostatic pressure generated during the pouring process and wind forces, support braces are conventionally used to shore the wall forms and retain the forms in place until the cast concrete wall has properly cured. Many of such support braces are difficult to transport between construction sites; have limited capability for adjustment once assembled in place; and have inherent height restrictions.